We do have the power to investigate. We had it before the Bill C-10 amendments came into effect in March 2010.
Whenever the commissioner has reasons to believe that an offence under the act has been committed or that there are grounds for a court order, she has the power to cause an inquiry to be made under section 10.
The amendments that came into effect in March 2010 simplified the circumstances in which we can investigate cartels. Before, when there were allegations of price-fixing by a cartel, for example, we had to prove not only that there was a price-fixing agreement, but also that the agreement had a significant effect on competition.
Parliament, with Bill C-10, has made us responsible for establishing that there was a price- fixing agreement among competitors, but without having to show that there was any effect on competition. It is sufficient to prove that the agreement among competitors fixes prices, allocates markets or lessens production.
We no longer have to prove any effect on competition.